Agent says Gruden won't re-sign with Raiders

A Raiders representative said the team hoped to have Jon Gruden coaching beyond 2002, but his agent last night reiterated that Gruden would not sign another contract with the team.

"Jon Gruden will not sign another contract with the Raiders," agent Bob LaMonte told The Chronicle again last night. "This is not about leverage. There is no agenda here. He will honor his contract (which runs through 2002), and that's it."

Raiders senior assistant Bruce Allen said the Raiders have not ruled out Gruden's lasting beyond 2002, despite LaMonte's comments. "Jon's status has been addressed every year since his rookie season," Allen said. "We anticipate Jon will be here for years to come."

Reached at his East Bay home yesterday, Gruden said he would leave the contract to the others. "I am going to stay out of it," he said. "I don't have anything more to report."

Faced with LaMonte's ultimatum and the fact that Gruden is at the top of Tampa Bay's wish list, the Raiders might want to let Gruden go early in return for some compensation from the Bucs. "I have no comment on that," LaMonte said.

"That's up to the Raiders, and we have not heard from them."

As for his own status, Allen, who interviewed for the job as Redskins' general manager, said yesterday he would not be leaving the Raiders.